Village Orders Chicago Blu to End Poker Tournament, Pay $1K Fine

The owners of agreed to end its poker tournaments, provide alcohol-serving training for its staff, pay a $1,000 fine as well as other village-mandated terms in order to avoid a liquor license hearing.

 and the bar's representatives met Friday to discuss possible liquor license and village ordinance violations. The concerns addressed were:

• Staff overserving customers that led to fights in the bar in and .
• Not serving food during all hours of operation, which isn't allowed under the liquor license Chicago Blu holds.
• Texas Hold 'Em poker tournaments that village attorney George Mahoney said he thought violated Frankfort's gambling ordinance.

Mahoney and Village Administrator Jerry Ducay outlined what co-owner Scott Zdanek needed to do avoid a license hearing before Mayor Jim Holland, who is also the village's liquor commissioner. Such a hearing could have led to the loss of Chicago Blu's liquor license.

The specific requirements that Zdanek agreed to included:

• Providing state Beverage Alcohol Sellers and Servers Education and Training (BASSET) for current and future employees.
• Serving food during the bar's hours of operation.
• Suspending it's Texas Hold 'Em tournaments immediately.
• Paying a $1,000 fine to the village.

Despite the punative measures, Mahoney told Zdanek during the meeting that the village wants Chicago Blu to be a successful local business. After Friday's meeting, Zdanek said he was in full agreement with the village officials' decision.